Love God aright if we Love him not for himself and this with a Superlative Love Luk. 14.26 No. Can Faith be true that works not by Love Gal. 5.6 or that Love real that shows not it Self in keeping his Commandments Joh. 15.10 14. No. And doth not Love to God make our obedience more willing chearful active and abiding 1 Joh. 5.3 Yes Seeing we cannot Love God without measure as He is good without measure ought we to Love him less then with all our Heart mind might and Strength Deut. 6.5 No. Question What is thy duty towards thy Neighbour Answer My duty towards my Neighbour is to love him as my Self and to do to all men as I mould they should do unto me To love honour and succour my Father and Mother To honour and obey the King and all that are put in Authority under Him To submit my Self to all my Governours Teachers Spirital Pasters and Masters To order my Self lowly and reverendly to all my Betters To hurt no body by Word or Deed. To be true and just in all my Dealing To bear no malice nor hatred in my Heart To keep my Hands from picking and stealing and my Tongue from evil speaking lying and standering To keep my Body in temperance soberness and charity not to covet nor desire other Mens Goods but to learn and labour truly to get mine own living and to do my duty in that State of Life unto which it shall please God to call me § DOTH not the Second Table contain the Six Last Commandments and is not Love to our Neighbour the Sum of them all Mat. 22.39 Yes Are not all those meant by our Neighbours with whom we have any Dealings or converse Luk. 10 29-36 Yes Must we not love our Neighbours with a pure hearty and unfeigned love as we love our selves 1 Joh. 3.18 Yes Yet must we love all equally with the same measure 〈◊〉 kind of love No. 〈◊〉 is not natural affection due to Relations 2 Tim. 3. â— â— love of Reverence to Superiours and of complacenâ—◠〈◊〉 delight to the Godly Psal 16.2 Yes * But must we deny a love of Compassion to all in misery and a love of Benevolence to our very Enemies Luk. 6.32 33. No. †And can we do our duty required in these Commâ—â—dments without this Grace of love and Charity 1 Cor. 13 1-7 No. § NOW you have heard these Commandments explained do you think that you are able perfectly to fulfil the Law of God Eccl. 7.20 Jam. 3.2 No. Must you not lament your sinfulness and weakness and depend on Christ for Righteousness and Strength Isa 45 2â— Yes And do you not stand to your promise that in desire and constant endeavour you will Practice sincere obedience to God's Commandments Psal 119.6 48. Yes Catechist My good Child know this that thou art not able to do these things of thy Self nor to walk in the Commandments of God and to serve him without his special Grace which thou must learn at all times to call for by diligent Prayer § IS not Prayer a necessary part of Worship in order to the obtaining Grace Rom 10 13. and availing much when perform'd aright Jam. 5 16. Yes * Is there any other object of Râ—â—â—giâ—â—â— Prayer but God who alone searcheth the Hearâ— 2 Chron 6.30 No. * Is Prayer a bare speaking the words with our Mouths without the pâ—â—â—â—ng out the dâ—â—iâ—es of our Hearts Psal 25.1 and 42.4 No. * May we omit any 〈◊〉 the kinds of Prayer Publick in the Church Acts 2.42 private in the Family Jer. 10.25 and secret in the Closet Mat. 6.6 No. Must we not often lift up our Hearts in Holy Ejaculations Psal 119.164 and sometimes use extraordinary Prayer with Fasting 1 Cor. 7.5 Yes * Must we not know the matter of our Prayers by our wants but chiefly by the Precepts and Promises of God Heb. 4.16 1 Joh. 5.14 Yes * Have we any other Mediatour whose name we can come in save our Lord Jesus Christ Joh. 14.13 14. No. * Can we perform this duty aright without the Holy Spirit to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 and to stir up Holy affections and Graces in the Soul Zech. 12.10 No. †Must we joyn with our desires the Graces of Faith Humility and Self-denyal and are you desirous so to Pray Yes Let me hear therefore if thou canst say the Lords Prayer Answer Our Father which art in Heaven Hallowed by thy name Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our dayly bread And forgive us our trespasses As we forgiven them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen § IS not this call'd the Lords Prayer because the Lord himself Composed it and taught it his Disciples Yes * May we refuse to use these words as a Form so excellent for the Author matter and method and as being part of Christ's own word and Prescription Luk. 11.1 2. No. Yet seeing it is so general and Comprehensive Is it unlawful to use other words in Prayer No. * Is not this then a perfect Pattern of Prayer to direct us in the matter and manner of our Supplications Mat. 6.9 Yes Qu. What is the Preface of the Lords Prayer Answ Our Father which art in Heaven § CAN there be a greater encouragement to come to God in Prayer than this that He is the Father of Believers by adoption Luk. 11.13 Psal 103.13 No. Is it not a fearful thing to come before God without a Special Interest in him Heb. 12.29 Yes Can we have access to him any way but by Christ Eph. 3.14 or have an evidence of our Interest but by the Spirit of adoption Gal. 4.6 No. Doth not this Relation require dutiful affections such as filial fear love and confidence when we draw near Him Mala. 1.6 Yes § MUST not they who say Our Father live as the Children of one Father Mat. 23.8 and Pray for and with one another Jam. 5.16 Acts 20.36 Yes § IS not the God to whom we Pray though present every where Psal 139.7 8. most gloriously present in the highest Heavens Isa 63.15 and 66.1 Yes * Is there any thing which a God in Heaven cannot give if it be good for us Psal 115.3 No. * Should not poor crawling worms come with a great awe and reverence before the God of Heaven Eccl. 5.1 2. Yes * Is it fit to have Earthly Hearts when we Worship a Heavenly Father Psal 123.1 Lam. 3.41 No. * Is not the God of Heaven equally near to all his Petitioners in whatsoever parts of the Earth Acts 17.27 Yes Qu. Which is the First Petition Answ Hallowed be thy Name § IS not the Hallowing Gods Name to Honour and Glorify Him in all things by which He makes himself known Yes Can the Name of God be ever impure in it Self or otherwise than
means Acts 13.26 Yes Are all under this common call also called effectually and chosen Mat. 22.14 No. But can this outward call be refus'd without the woful hazard of the Soul Prov. 1.24 26. No. § IS not the Gospel-call a great priviledge and must you not Solemnly thank God our Heavenly Father through Christ for it Psal 147.19 20. Yes Is there not great danger of being drawn from the State to which you are called by damnable doctrines or practices Heb. 10.38 Yes Can you then continue therein and be kept from revolting from your profession without real grace Heb. 13.9 Phil. 2.12 13. No. And if God gives you the first grace is perseverance therein of your Selves Luk. 22.32 No. § WILL you then pray unto God for his Grace to prevent and assist you and consummate at last his work in you Jam. 1.5 Phil. 1.6 Yes And must you not to prayer add the diligent use of all the means that God has appointed Mat. 25.29 Yes Are you willing for your further help that I should teach you what you are to believe and to do according to your promise Heb. 5.12 Yes Catechist Rehearse the Articles of thy Belief Answer I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth And in Iesus Christ his only Son our Lord Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary Suffered under Pontius Pilate Was crucifyed dead and buried he descended into Hell The third day he rose again from the dead He ascended into Heaven And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead I believe in the Holy Ghost The Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints The forgiveness of Sins The resurrection of the body And the life everlasting Amen § IS this Creed found in so many words any where in Scripture No. Yet is not the whole of it proved by Scripture as being according to the Doctrine of the Apostles and therefore called the Aposiles Creed Eph. 2.20 Yes Is it not agreeable to Scripture that there should be such a Form of sound Words 2 Tim. 1.13 Yes * May we receive any thing as an Article of Faith that is not found in Scripture Gal. 1.8 9. No. Are not all things revealed in the Scriptures to be believed by us Luk. 1.1 Yes But are all things therein alike necessary to be known Joh. 17.3 No. * Are not all things necessary and Fundamental plainly revealed Psal 119.105 Yes * Were not the Scriptures confirm'd by Miracles owned by the Church in all Ages and are they not known by their majesty purity and efficacy on the Hearts of Believers Psal 19.7 8 9. Yes †Will you not then search the Scriptures to prove the Articles of your Belief Joh. 5.39 Yes Qu. What is the first Article Answ I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth § DOTH not Believing in God denote a practical trusting in and depending on Father Son and Holy Ghost as our Father Redeemer and Sanctifyer Yes Can this be without understanding what God hath revealed concerning himself as standing in these Relations to us Heb. 11.6 No. § DO you not believe that there is a God a most pure and supream Spirit Joh. 4.24 Yes Hath He a body or bodily parts or can He be seen with mortal eyes 1 Tim. 1.17 Deut. 4.15 No. Is He not infinite in his being and blessedness Exod. 3.13 Yes Is He confin'd to Time or place Psal 90.1 or doth He stand in need of any of his Creatures to make Him happy Acts 17.25 No. Is He subject to change or alteration Jam. 1.17 No. Can his attributes and glorious perfections be fully comprehended by us Job 11.7 8 9. No. Is He not most Holy Powerful Wise Good Just and true and this Originally and independently so as no Creature can be Mat. 19.17 Yes § ARE there more Gods than One Deut. 6.4 Is it agreeable to right reason that there should be more than one first Cause on which all things depend Acts 17.28 No. § ARE there not three Persons in the Godhead the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5.7 Yes Is either of these Divine Persons before or after greater or less than the other Joh. 10.30 No. Have they not one and the same Divine nature and are they not distinguished by their Personal properties Yes Did not the Father from eternity beget the Son Psal 2.7 and is not the Son begotten of the Father before all worlds Joh. 1.14 Yes Doth not the Holy Ghost proceed from the Father and the Son Joh. 15.26 Yes § DID not the Almighty power of God appear in the works of his Creation Isa 45.12 13. Yes * Did He not make all things of nothing by the word of his power in the space of 6 days Heb. 11.3 Psal 33.6 Gen. 1.1 Yes Did He make any thing amiss Gen. 1.31 No. †And doth He not by his providence uphold and govern all that He hath made Heb. 1.3 Yes * Did He not in particular make man his body Form'd of the dust and his Soul immediately inspir'd Gen. 2.7 Yes Did not God create him after his own Image a knowing holy creature able also to sulfil the whole Law Gen. 1.26 Yes Did not God Covenant with man to confirm his life and happiness upon condition of his perfect obedience Rom. 10.5 Yes Was the particular command given to try his obedience viz. that He should not eat of the tree of Knowledge of good and evil a hard and impossible thing No. Did not God threaten death on his disobedience Gen. 2.17 Yes Should man have dy'd if he had not sinned Rom. 5.12 No. Did not man understand and agree to his Covenant Gen. 3.3 Yes Qu. What is the Second Article Answ And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord. § DO you not Believe in God the Son the Second Person of the Trinity equal with the Father and partaker of the same essence Phil. 2.6 Yes Though Believers are called Sons by Grace and adoption 1 Joh. 3.1 Yet is not our Lord His only Son by Nature and Eternal Generation Rom. 8.3 Yes § IS not the Son of God called Jesus because He saves his People from their Sins Mat. 1.21 Yes * Was man confirm'd in the holy estate in which He was created as the Elect Angels are now No. Did He not fall from that estate by Transgressing the Law and command which God gave him Eccl. 7.29 Yes Did He not Sin by the temptation of the Devil being left to the freedom of his own will Gen. 3 4 5 6. Yes Can so high an affront to the majesty of the Law-giver that contain'd so much Infidelity and such a total defection from God be reckoned a small Sin No. * Was not Adam our common Father a publick Person and our Representative in the Covenant of works 1 Cor. 15.22 Rom. 5.12 19. Yes Are there then any meer men that are
Is it not evident that He had first descended thither Eph. 4.9 Yes * Is it any where certainly revealed that He went into the Hell of the damned amongst the Spirits there No. But did He not by his death vanquish the powers of Hell and darkness Col. 2.14 Yes * Is not the unseen State or condition of separation of Soul and Body call'd the Grave and Hell 1 Cor. 15.55 Yes And can it be deny'd that He so descended into Hell as to continue for a time under the dominion of Death in a separate State Rom. 6.9 No. Qu. What is the Fifth Article Answ The third day He arose again from the Dead § DID He always continue in that State of the dead or so long as to see corruption Psal 16.10 No. * Considering who He was and what was Prophecyed of Him was it possible for the bands of death to hold him Acts 2.24 No. Did He not rise again by his own power Joh. 10.17 18. to dye no more Rev. 1.18 Yes Did He not rise as an evidence of our discharge Rom. 4.25 and a pledge of our Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.20 Yes * Did He shew himself to all the people when risen or to his enemies that had so long dispised his miracles before Acts 10.41 No. Yet were they left altogether without convincing evidence of his Resurrection Mat. 28.2 3 c. No. * Was He not seen by a sufficient number of witnesses even 500 at once and that at divers places and times after He was risen from the Dead 1 Cor. 15.6 Yes * Could they be deceiv'd by a Phantasm or Apparition when they did both handle and see yea eat and drink with Him after his Resurrection Luk. 24.38 39. No. * Could so Miraculous a work as raising the Dead for a design so contrary to Satan's Kingdom be done by Magick or power of the Devil Eph. 1.19 20. Mat. 12.25 No. * Could the Disciples roll away the Stone from the Sepulchre Steal away his Body Strip it of the Grave-cloths and not awake the Watch or Guard of Souldiers No. * Is it likely that men noted for sincerity 1 Thes 2.10 would impose on the world in a matter of such consequence for which they expos'd themselves to all manner of persecutions and death it self Acts 5.41 No. * If there had been any deceit could it have been conceal'd from so many envious and watchful enemies in so publick a concern Acts 26.26 No. * Did not the witnesses of his Resurrection confirm their report by undoubted Miracles Heb. 2.4 Yes †Was not this Resurrection on the third day from his death and the first day of the Week which is our Christian Sabbath 1 Cor. 15.4 Joh. 20.1 Yes Qu. What is the Sixth Article Answ He ascended into Heaven And sitteth on the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty § WHEN our Lord was risen Did He continue always on Earth in his bodily presence Joh. 16.16 No. Did He not according to Prophecy Psal 64.18 Forty days after his Resurrection Acts 1.3 Ascend up into Heaven in the sight of his Disciples Acts 1.9 11. Yes Was He not pleased to shew himself to some of his Disciples after his ascention Acts 7.55 1 Cor. 15.8 Yes †Did He not Ascend to prepare mansions for his people Joh. 14.2 and to send his Spirit to prepare them for the enjoyment thereof Joh. 16.7 Yes Are we to expect his bodily presence any more on Earth before the day of judgment Acts 3.21 No. § BEING ascended doth He not sit at the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty Mark 16.19 Yes Doth the Right Hand denote any bodily parts in God or His sitting any one particular gesture there Acts 7.55 No. Doth not sitting down denote Rest and the Right Hand dignity and authority Psal 44.3 1 Kings 1.30 Yes * And did not Christ after all his sorrows on Earth rest in the unspeakable joy of his Father Heb. 4.10 Yes * Hath He not the highest dignity and authority Heb. 1.4 and 8.1 and shall He not have compleat victory over all his Enemies Psal 110.1 Yes Qu. What is the Seventh Article Answ From thence He shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead § BEING thus exalted Hath He for ever abandon'd this Earth and his people therein Joh. 14.3 No. Besides his Spiritual presence always with his Church will He not come again in the clouds as He was seen to go up Acts 1.11 Yes Is not this Second coming to judge the world in righteousness and is not the day set and appointed for it Acts 17.31 Yes Do we know the day and hour when this appointed judgment will be Mat. 24.36 No. § WILL He Judge them already Dead and those that are found Quick or alive at his coming Acts 10.42 Yes When all are gather'd before Him will He not Separate between the Godly and the wicked and give to every Man according to his Works Mat. 25.32 2 Cor. 5.10 Yes †Will it not be a day of refreshing to the people of God Acts. 3.19 and exceeding terrible to the wicked 2 Thes 1.7 8 9. Yes Shall any by power or policy be able to escape or hide themselves from the Judge Rev. 6.15 16. No. And must not all abide in that Condition to which they are adjudg'd for ever and ever Heb. 6.2 Yes Qu. What is the Eighth Article Answ I Believe in the Holy Ghost § IS not the Holy Ghost God Acts 5.3 4. Eternal before the World Gen. 1.2 Omnipresent Psal 139.7 and knowing all things 1 Cor. 2.10 Yes Is not He a person Acts 13.2 distinct from the Father and Son Joh. 14.26 Yes Is not He the Spirit of the Father Luk. 14.19 and of the Son Gal. 4.6 as proceeding from them both Yes Is He inferiour to the Father or Son in essence or nature or with respect to the worship and glory which is due to God alone Mat. 28.19 1 Cor. 6.19 No. § IS He not Holy in himself and also as the Authour of Holiness and Sanctification in us Rom. 1.4 Yes †Must we not then believe in Him as a sanctifier by whom we may have an interest in what Christ has done and suffer'd Yes Are any partakers of saving Benefits by Christ to whom they are not effectually apply'd or communicated Joh. 1.11 12. No. Can Parents or Ministers apply them to your Heart or any but the Holy Spirit Tit. 3.5 6. No. Doth not the Spirit do this by working Faith in the Heart by the Ministry of the word Joh. 6.44 45. Yes Doth He not by the Law convince the Sinner Joh. 16.8 and by the Gospel subdue the will and perswade it to yeild to our Lord Jesus Christ Ezek. 36.26 27. Yes Can we then be sav'd by Christ without effectual calling and Regeneration by the Holy Ghost Joh. 3.5 No. Qu. What is the Ninth Article Answ I believe the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints § HATH not God a Church called out of the world to be his peculiar